MAN UTD 2 NOTTM FOREST 3
Defeat at home to Nottingham Forest served to underline the scale of the job confronting Ruben Amorim, Manchester United’s new head coach.
The honeymoon – two wins and a draw from Amorim’s first three matches – is over as they have now suffered back-to-back losses, only the second time this has happened to him in his top-flight managerial career.
Though United scored twice through Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes, their defensive frailties surfaced again as they have conceded eight goals in his five matches at the helm.
It is a loss – United’s third at Old Trafford in the league – which leaves the Reds 13th while resurgent Forest, winners at Old Trafford for the first time in the Premier League era, are up to fifth as they are suddenly eyeing Champions League football.
Amorim said: “Tough game. We started really bad, the first play we suffered a goal and then it’s hard to try to fight. We then controlled the game and had a lot of situations.
“We improved the movement in the last third. We managed to draw the game and then at half-time we were ready to go for the win and then started really bad. Two goals. Then we tried a lot of things with not a lot of quality.
“We didn’t have many situations to score. Tough game in a tough moment but we have to continue the job. This is a long journey. We are improving in some aspects.
“We have to win games to help us improve the team. We are in the start of something so big that we pay attention to every detail. We already know it’s a big job, so we have to continue.”
Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo was delighted after a fourth away league victory – they also triumphed earlier in the season at Liverpool.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe said: “Wins like this mean a lot as Unite are a huge club. Let’s celebrate and be proud.
“I am proud to be part of this squad, and we are trying to do something nice.”
Santo pointed out visiting Manchester twice in the space of three days was challenging.
“We scored with the first action of the game, and it made the difference. We had a good beginning and that made the difference.
“We knew United would react, but it was about unity, hard work and togetherness of the players.
“I am really happy because it was a big ask to come to Manchester twice so quickly.”
Summer signing Leny Yoro was handed his first start, one of four changes from the midweek defeat at Arsenal.
United’s players wore black armbands in honour of long-time receptionist Kath Phipps who died on Thursday at the age of 85 after spending over half a century working for United.
The players of both sides stood around the centre circle and, with the 73,000 crowd, applauded as a mark of respect.
David Beckham has led the tributes to Phipps, one of the most familiar faces at United and the person visitors tended to see before any other.
United made the worst possible start falling behind in 91 seconds when Nikola Milenkovic converted Elliott Anderson’s corner with a bullet near-post header from eight yards, his first goal for the club.
There was a positive response as an effort from Hojlund was palmed away by keeper Matz Sels and Fernandes fired a shot narrowly wide.
Amad then had a shot blocked from Fernandes’ free kick. The ball looped up to Lisandra Martinez whose header was goalbound until Sels acrobatically tipped it over the bar.
United’s incessant pressure was rewarded with an 18th minute equaliser.
Manuel Ugarte drove forward from midfield and released Alejandro Garnacho whose effort was blocked by Selz. The ball rebounded to Hojlund to slot home his fifth goal of the season from eight yards.
Forest almost regained the lead when Jota Silva’s header hit the junction of bar and upright after Ryan Yates had headed on Murillo’s free kick.
Murillo also shot narrowly wide as they were continuing to be an attacking threat.
It was United’s turn to be denied by the woodwork as his free kick from 25 yards crashed against the crossbar.
Forest made another fast start after the break regaining the lead in the 47th minute.
Fernandes carelessly gave away the ball as Callum Hudson-Odoi who fed Morgan Gibbs-White whose drive from 22 yards swerved wickedly past keeper Andre Onana for his second goal of the season.
And it soon became even more serious for United when they conceded a third goal through Wood’s 16th of the season.
Gibbs-White floated a cross from the right to the far post where Wood’s header from four yards looped over Onana and also eluded Martinez who was covering on the line.
Amorim made his first change just short of the hour when Garnacho was replaced by Marcus Rashford.
And within three minutes United had halved the deficit when Amad cut the ball back to Fernandes whose shot from just outside the box flew high past Selz for his fifth of the campaign.
This was followed by two further changes as Matthijs de Ligt and Yoro were replaced by Harry Maguire and Noussair Mazraoul.
And the final two switches came with 14 minutes left as Fernandes and Ugarte made way for Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount.
United had a couple of chances to snatch a point in the seven minutes of added time.
Rashford had a goalbound shot deflected by Milenkovic for a corner from which Martinez volleyed narrowly over.